Brownlee fishbe



(Model.)

S; B. FISHER.

GROSS SECTION ROD.

Patented Apr. 4, 18 82 1,7 P um wneSS/QS:

N. PETERS. PhewLhogllplwlY Washington. D. C.

- out the several views.

' or plumb-line attached to the rod.

provided with a level-bulb atL, and graduated A UNITED STATES *5 PATENTOFFICE,

CROSS-SECTION ROD` SPECIFICATION forming'part of Letters Patent Np.255,778, dated April 4, 1582.

Application filed June 20, 1881. (Model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, S. BROWNLEE FISHER, acitizen ofthe United States, residing at Pittsburg, in the county otAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented anew and usefulGross-Section Rod, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of two graduated rods connected together byaspindle-joint, so that they are capable of revolving about each otherfreely in one plane, and also soconnected to each other that theirrelative positions can be changed and adjusted by sliding movements inthe directions ot' their axes. When in use the axis of one rod isdesigned to be vertical and adjusted therein by means ot' a level-bulbTheaxis of the other rod is intended to be in the horizontal plane whenin action and adjusted therein by a level or plumb.

The object of my invention is to provide an instrument for takingcross-sections of the ground in such places and circumstances as renderthe use otthe engineers level in the. ordinary way slon7 andinconvenient, as on very steep, rough, broken, rocky, or bushy slopesand hillsides, on the surfaces or slopes ot cuttings and embankments,85C., and in such circumstances to insure accurate horizontal as well asvertical measurements. l attain these objects by the mechanismillustrated in the accompanying` drawings, in which- Figure l is avertical elevation ot' the entire instrument, showing its position inuse. Fig. 2 is an elevation otl the parts about the joint and the ends,with the section l 2 and 3 4 through the spindle-joint. Fig. 3 is a plancorresponding` to Fig. in elevation. Fig. 4 is anisometrical drawingotparts about thejoint.

Similarletters refer to similar paris through- A A is the vertical rod,shod with iron or brass at the lower end, A, to prevent wear,

om bottom to top. It is encircled by a strap or stirrup, P, attached tothe spindle-socket T. 'lliestirrup and rod are to be clamped together atany point by any suitable means-as, for example,by a wetlge,/',as shownin the drawings. This wedge, when out otl reach of the hand, may betightened by pressing a stick or` small rod against its base. It may beloosened by pulling a string attached to it, being prevented fromdropping out by a small cross-bar attached to the upper end.

B B is the horizontal rod, also shod with iron or brass at the end B,which comes in contact with the ground, provided with a level at H, andgraduated from B toward B. It fis embraced by the strap or stirrup F',attached to the spindle T, which stirrup is lett open on the graduatedside ot' the rod to admit ofthe figures and graduations being moreplainly seen. The rod is clamped to this stirrup-as, for instance,byaneccentric-disk, C--as shown in the drawings. 9

The rods A A and B B revolve freely about each other by means of thespindlejointT. By means of this spindle-joint T, which may be located atany convenient point with reference to the straps P and F, they can bereadily adjusted at right angles to each other, one in a verticalposition, the other horizontal, and folded up for transportation whenout of use.

The stirrnps have attached to them graduated limbs E and D. The zero ofthe horizontallgraduated limbE coincides with the line on whichgraduations are made on A A. rlhc `zero of the vertical graduated limb Dcoincides with the lower edge of the rod B B. These limbs are shown ondrawings as Agraduated to hundredths ot' a foot and the rods as.graduated to tenths, thus reading to hundredths. It' desired, the rodsmay be graduated to hundredths and the limbs graduated asV verniers,thus reading to thousands.

To use this instrument, the rod A A is placed upon a level peg in thecenter lille, the elevation ot'- which has been previously obtained bythe engineers level in the usual manner. When the cross-section oftheslopes of cuttings and embankments alongside a rail'- road already builtis to be taken (and for this purpose it is-thought this instrument willbe very convenient, accurate, and expeditious in operation) the top ofrail, the elevation ot' which has previously been obtained, is taken asthe initial point ot' the crosssection. The rod A A is then heldvertically over the peg or point, which will be indicated by the levelor plumb attached to it. The rod B B is then adjusted to any point inthe crosssection IOO which is to be taken, as B", Fig. 1, being madelevel, which will be indicated by the level H attached to it. Thevertical distance of this point Bll from the point A' is now read on thevertical rod A A' and its horizontal distance on the rod B B'. Boththese distances are now recorded in the note-book. The next point isthen taken, and so on until the turning-point is reached. At this latterpoint, for accurate work, a peg should be driven in the ground at B andthe position ot the end of the rod B B' marked on it. When theinstrumentis moved forward the graduated line ot' A A' is placed directly overthis mark. When the vertical and horizontal distances of theturning-point are obtained and recorded the instrument is moved forward,the vertical rod placed over the turning-point, and the operationsrepeated until another turning-point is reached, &c., as far as it isdesired to extend the cross-section. The process, as here described,takes the crosssection as going up hill. In going down hill the peg isdriven for theV vertical rod A A'. The process in going down hill isevidently Very similar to that in going up hill. It will be found veryconvenient in the future plot-4 ting of the work to make the'turning-points come at the end of the horizontal or vertical rod, or ateven ten feet.

I am aware thatdisconrected rods have been sometimes used by engineersin taking crosssections. I am not aware that the graduated rods haveever been combined so as to make a single instrument and attain theobjects above described. 4

Vhat I therefore claim as my invention is- Tlie combination of thevertical graduated rod A A', provided with a level-bulb, L, with thehorizontal graduated or measuring rod B B', provided with a level-bulb,H, by means of lthe stirrup P, provided with a graduated limb, D, thestirrup P, sliding along and capable of being clamped to the rod A A',and the stirrnp F, provided with a graduated limb, E, sliding along andcapable of being clamped to the rod B B', the two stirrups -P and Ebeing connected together by the spindlejoint T, so as to form a singleinstrument for the purpose of taking cross-sections on rough, rocky,steep, and bushy ground, as herein set forth.

S. BROWNLEE FISHER.

Witnesses:

Jos. H. Moonn, C, M. Il. REED.

